One of John Lennon s teachers said he was hopeless and

Series: 2018 Theme (A Confident Future) CDOBC beginning on 1/7/18 Today s Title: Overwhelmed by the Mission Grand Opening Sunday - January 21, 2018 - Joshua 1:1-9 OBJECTIVE: To help people know that we have A Confident Future, because we have a great God! Prayer Fred Astaire Fred Astaire is a Hollywood legend, but his first screen test was a failure. The evaluation read: Can t act. Can t sing. Balding. Can dance a little. Elvis: In his eighth-grade music class, Elvis earned a C-, and his teacher advised him that he had no aptitude for singing. After HS, his audition for a local quartet was unsuccessful. He was told he couldn t sing. Other auditions failed, and one time he was told not to give up his job as a truck driver, because he was never going to make it as a singer. Columbian and American pop star Shakira was told in H.S. her voice sounded like a goat. Albert Einstein was told he would never amount to anything. One of Beethoven s music teachers said: He has learnt nothing and will never do anything in decent style. One of John Lennon s teachers said he was hopeless and Certainly on the road to failure. 1

Winston Churchill, Woody Allen, Ian Fleming, Joan Collins, were all told they would fail. (source: https://www.msn.com/en-nz/entertainment/celebrity/youll-never-amount-to-anything-teachers-that-got-it-wrong/ss- BBiF2As#image=19) You may have goals / ambitions / a dream of what you want to do - as a church, we have a mission and a vision of how the mission can be accomplished - how the Kingdom of God might be impacted. But often, we lack confidence that can accomplish the mission. Instead of confidence, we hear things like: That s impossible. There s no way I can do that. Are you kidding me? Get real. Pipe dream. Maybe in another life I could do that. Not now, but maybe sometime in the future. That was what I thought in 2003 when a group of us came up with the master plan for this campus. That will never happen in my lifetime. Or Maybe sometime in the future. But, as we all know: The future is now! Over the past 2 ½ years, many people have asked me if I was excited about what was happening here...and I would tell them: Yes, I m excited...and equally frightened. 2

How can you not be excited with all this! But I was also frightened...because I understood from the very first day of this project - this will bring so much change to the church. I knew from day 1 - this is so much bigger than me...than anything I ve ever led before. I happen to enjoy change - change excites me - it keeps me energized and creative, but I m also a realist, and I know the difficulties many people have with change. So, for 2 years I ve been trying to prepare all of us for this day - the day of official change - the day of dedication. From this day forward, this is our reality. As this day marks an end of sorts...the construction is done, new systems are in place - new and expanded ministries are in place...is some ways this day marks the end of a long and difficult process. But in a greater way, it marks the starting line...a new beginning. The future is now! The future begins right now...today! God has entrusted us with an amazing blessing. Luke 12:48 (NLT) When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required. More blessing from God = more work - a higher calling! These buildings are not the end goal. 3

These buildings are not the purpose of our church. These buildings are a blessing from God, to be used by us - stewarded / managed by us - to fulfill the mission He has given His Church. We will reach people for Christ and help them grow in their faith. It s fitting that our Grand Opening / Dedication Day is in January. A New Year brings an opportunity to slay the dragons in our life: Weight loss / Get in shape / Eat healthier / Spend more time in God s Word / Spend more time with family / Read more books / Watch less TV Our church is no different...we have a huge challenge God has placed before us. It s a huge honor for the Lord to give us this new, bigger calling - and it s easy to tell ourselves or to think, We can t do it. Or The mission is too big for us! It s the New Year and we have a huge task before us. Apart from the days in 1977 when this church was planted and pastored by Rev. Theoren Smith - we have never had this big of a task before us. This might cause some of you to be worried. This might cause some of you to be on-guard - to be uncertain, doubtful and anxious about the future. 4

Our theme for 2018 is A Confident Future - and the past 2 weeks, I ve been trying to help you see why you should have great confidence about the future. 2 weeks ago, I shared about Abraham, and how he had confidence in God, even though there was great uncertainty about his future - he didn t know where God was leading him. Last week we looked at the confidence Joshua and Caleb had, even though the people who lived in the Promised Land were strong and their cities were fortified. Today, we re looking at Joshua, and the huge task God placed before him. It s a task that was overwhelming to Joshua - bigger than anything he had ever done before - bigger than his abilities - but he could be confident...just like we can be confident...because of the great God we serve! Turn to Joshua 1:1-9 In this passage, we see some amazing truths - some timeless principles that can help us through the process of change - and help us when the future seems so uncertain and maybe even overwhelming. When the job God brings us seems impossible - and it overwhelms us. Change always includes some sort of loss. vs. 1-2a Change is a guarantee in life. Death is also an unavoidable reality of life. 5

Moses was a significant leader...he was a giant-sized man, not physically but spiritually and with his influence over a nation of people. Following a larger-than-life influential leader is one of the most difficult things in life. This is even more difficult when the leader who dies is your mentor and friend. After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses assistant, Moses My servant is dead. Read: Deuteronomy 34:7-12 - tough act to follow!!! Impossible to fill his sandals! Even when the change is needed...and a huge improvement, there is still a degree of loss. A new job, new house, new school, new town - all of these involve leaving something - something which is familiar and comfortable. Don t let the loss in change cause you to reject it or deny it s necessity. Moses was a big loss...a loss like that derails most companies or churches. But God is not dependent on human leaders - He s wasn t stumped or stifled when Moses died. When a leader dies - a follower of Christ dies - there is rejoicing in Heaven as the Lord welcomes one of His children into eternity - but concerning the leadership 6

issue on earth - a church or an organization - God s motto is: NEXT! The mission of God does not change. vs. 2b Whether it was in Joshua s time...or in our time, God has been very clear with the mission - the task He has given us. Look at the clarity He gives Joshua: vs. 2b - Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel. Joshua s mission was clear: Get up...cross the Jordan river - all of you...go into the Promised Land which God is giving to you. Our mission is also clear - and it has not changed! Reach people for Christ...with the Gospel so they can be saved. Help them - those who have put their faith in Jesus - help them to grow in their faith. This is not overly-complicated. The mission Jesus has given His Church is really pretty simple. Let us not complicate it...overthink it...or think it s lacking or too intrusive and therefore try to adjust it to fit modern sensitivities. Romans 1:16-17 I am not ashamed of...the gospel...it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes... 7

The mission Christ has given His Church...must be our mission. We can be confident about our future...because the gospel is powerful, and it changes lives! When the mission is overwhelming, be confident in God s presence. vs. 3-6 Can you imagine Joshua s thoughts? I think he was overwhelmed by the task - by the size of the land - by the military obstacles he knew were in the land. He s following the great Moses - and he s not Moses! But God consoles him - encourages him - not by talking about all the abilities He s given Joshua...not by giving him a pep talk - but simply by promising to be with him every step of the way. Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses. 4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun shall be your territory. 5 No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. 6 Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. Our courage for the task ahead...our confidence in the future plan of God...is possible because God promises to be with us! 8

vs. 5 - No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. Be strong and courageous... vs. 9 - Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go. When Brian and Jess were little - and we were swimming, I would always encourage them to stand on the edge and jump in - even though they didn t know how to swim yet and they were wearing those floatythings on their arms. They couldn t swim...they were afraid...but they would jump anyway...because I was in the pool ready to catch them. They had confidence in their dad...not in their ability to swim. God tells us the same thing. He says, I know you re afraid...but I m here...i m with you...jump and I ll catch you! God doesn t give us work equal to our power / ability...he wants to increase our power and ability - or He wants us to simply rely on His power and ability - to accomplish the mission! In our weakness...in our inability...is when His strength is most evident! His power is seen in our weakness! (2 Cor. 12:9) We are not alone in this. We don t work at accomplishing the mission in our own strength or ability. He expects us to exert our strength and to use 9

and improve our abilities. But our confidence and success is due to God s constant presence with us. Jesus told His disciples, And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. (Matt. 28:20b) You re not alone...we re not alone - Christ is with us every step! Obedience to God s Word is the key to our success vs. 7-8 Church success is not simply an issue of attendance or budget # s. Our success as a church is our obedience to...and proclamation of God s Word. Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses My servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Success or failure to the mission is tied to your relationship to the truth. Crawford Loritts Ministry success...church success - is not a separate issue from the truth of God s Word! We need to make sure we re using God s metric for success...not human metrics for success. 10

We will hold forth - unapologetically - the truth of Scripture! Whether it s popular in the culture or not...we will be faithful to the Bible. We will teach it and preach it with grace...with gentleness...but we will hold forth it s clarity - and we will not avoid certain difficult passages...we will speak directly when the bible speaks directly. We must also know this...there is a tendency within the human heart which we have seen throughout history, to add a little bit to what the Bible says - as if God needs our help to make sure His Word - His message has enough impact and transformation in people s lives. God s Word doesn t need our help... We need the help and truth of God s Word! We must meditate on God s Word. We must proclaim God s Word. We must obey ALL of God s Word. (vs. 8) Let your faith in God dominate your fear. vs. 9 We talked about this last Sunday. Most people allow their fear to dominate their faith. But that s upsidedown / it s backwards / the tail is wagging the dog. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go. 11

3x God tells Joshua to be strong and courageous (vs. 6, 7, 9) Then, in vs. 18 - the people tell Joshua to be strong and courageous! God often gives small victories, to build our confidence for the big challenge waiting in the future. He s done that with us. We can look back to the expansion in 2006-2007. We can look at each year s ministry and see people being saved, getting baptized, serving, giving, growing. 2017 Ministry Report God has proven faithful over the years... Will you trust Him with the future? Will you have confidence in the future...because He is our God? Apply it... Biggest change you need is to put your faith in Christ. Admit your sins... Believe in Jesus as your Savior... Commit each day to Him! Christian...Church...Be confident in the future! Don t be overwhelmed by the mission God has blessed us with - be confident in the future...because God is with us every step of the way! 12

Be strong and courageous do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go. Close in prayer 13